Apparatus for actuating rotary movements of lamps and the like



Nv.z4,1931. I [DAVLS- 13373456 APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING ROTARY MovEMENTs oF LAMPS AND THEaLfI'k'E Filed May s, 1930 2 sheets-snee;` 1

INVENTCIR HTTDRNEY Nov. 2,4, 1931. R DAws 1,833,156

APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING ROTARYY MOVEMENTS OF LAMPS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9. 1930 Hll 'um um i 4s 33 442753246 4.4 46 Zvw 2z a d e @gj e e 3J 52 JZ 452 e e 1454 E--EE I' 4 45 `l 7 v A .f Y 34 373 40111355?" 3 3 J 36 35 :35 37' *Ain-.no A` 37 5a 3 1 1 1 50 32 z m\\\lk"\g 47 JZ I 7 @-5 INVENTDR HTTDRNEY Patented Nov. 2.4, 1931 t UNIT-ED STATES;

WEST VIRGINIA PTENfTzOFFIC;-ff

yRAY L. DAVIS, or WHEELING, WNSPVPRGINIA; SECURITY-TRUST COMPANY, EXECUTOP. oF SAID RAY L. DAVIS, DEQEASED, AssrGNoa TOSAMUEL 1;. PnANVIgoFwHEEmNG,

APPARATUS FoP. AOTUATI'NG Ro'rARYfMovnMPiNrsor LAMPS AND THE V Applieatimmed May y9,

. This invention relates broadly to` apparatus for operating and rotating supporting armsV and the like, and more particularly'toVV an electrical device for shifting a supporting member to any deslred circumference of a circle;

The primary object of the inventionistoY provide an electrical apparatus whereby a shaft, or the Supporting arm of an electric" lamp or similar object may be rotated in either direction to and stopped'in any desired position withinthe range of 360 degrees.

mounted upon an automobile, airplane, buil ing, pole, pier, or the like, may be actuated from a point of remote control to swing orl tion, combinations of elements, and arrange ment of parts which will hereinafter be fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of the invention applied to the control of ya 'horizontally rotatable arm-carried lamp;

Figure 2 is a top plan view ofthe mechanism showing the casing partially insection;

Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3 3, Fig. 2; f ,y i

Figure 4 is a section online 4&4,` Fig. 3; Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5,Fig. 1; Figure 6 isa section on lineG-(, Fig. 3; Figure 7 is a sectionon line 7--7, Fig. 4; and Y *f Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuits. 1 Referring to said drawings, the reference character 1 designates a casing having a base 2 adapted to be mounted stationarily in any suitable position, as upon the forecastle-'deck of a small boat yor yacht,` or upon theV running board 3 of an automobile.

VDisposed in a socket 4 4provided therefor Y M wheel 25, theteeth of which are adapted tobe.l

pera-tively engaged,according to the direc- V'100' in the base 2 is a block 5 of ber,or other suitposition within the sulated from a tubular rotary shaft 9. Said" A further objectis to vprovide electrical'` means whereby an lelectric lamp `rotataby 1939. ,seriai No. 450,977. A

its top portion a shallow seaton which.

rests a disk-'like electrical contact 6, and resting upon said disk' contact is a second c0n shaft has formed on its `lower end abrake drum lOfwhich encloses thefcontacts 6 and 7 as shown in'Figs. 3 and 7, and` which'is ill--z sulatedfrom the contact 7, as by an inter`v posed fibre disk 11.` 'Said shaft Vis rotatable adjacent to its Alower vend in the horizontal f bridge or web portion 12aof a hollow circularV casting 12 which is rigidly mounted onA the.

base 2, in' spacedfenclosing relation to the brake drum 10.

The upper end of splined thereon an end of a horizontally disposed hollow bracket arm 13` which -carries upon its outer endanele'ct'ric lampy casing 14 of appropriate form."v Said arm is supported by and rotatable upon` a circular carrying flange 15 formed on said casing in concentricV relation to the shaft 9, said flange being rey et.; the' shaft' 9 -projectsw ythrough the top of the casing land hasY ceived 'in a circular channel or way 16 ;pro' `v` vided therefor in the under zface of the overlying end 13a of'said arm. .'Adjusting nuts 17 carried by the upper end of said shat are seated within a socket 18l provided in the upper face of said end 13a of thearm.

The pinV 8'constitutes a conductorfor electric current suppliedto the Vlamp located' 'within the lamp casing 14, a `current con#4 ducting wire 22 leading from a source of elec# trical energy, as a storage battery 20, and be- `has a terminal 23 mounted on saidjpin` and .suitably insulated from the shaft 9 and the vadjusting nuts 17. cap 24 is removably mounted on the arm 13 to the 'socket'.lS.

in covering relation Spli'ned on the Arotary shaft@ is a ratchet.

" l ing connected to the contact 6, as through an@ intermediate metallic plate 21 ,mounted on the tion :of rotation required7 by one or the other of two pawls 26 which are pivotally mounted upon the opposite terminals of a substan# tiallyV-shaped rocker 27 which is pivoted at its apex upon a suitable support', as therloraclpA et-carried plate V28'.VA

Said ratchetrwheel hasits hub resting upon ballbearings v.29 which are seated upon the bridgeor web portion^12a of thev casting l2 hereinbefore referred toand which pref-fv erably sustain the weight vof said ratchet wheel, shaft 9 and lpin v8. A compression spring 30 preferably interposed between the insulating blockV 5 and -the bottom-of the socket 4 of the base 2 maintains saidblockY elevatedin a position in which the contact 6 is engagedl withy the contact 7 Y under :yielding tension. .l Y

.Mounted in longitudinally alined :relation on supporting brackets 31 and 32vwhich occupy fixed positionsupon the casing base 2 at opposite sides of and rearwardly with respectqto the ratchet wheel 25 and its carrying shaft `9 are Vmagnet coils, saidv rod or core ,being shiftable in either direction according as-one oi' the other o-f'said coils is energized electrically. Compression springsl 36 introduced` between the'opposite ends of saidro'd 35 Vand' plugs 37 adjustably mounted within y theyouter ends of said coils serve normally.

Rigidly carried midway between the ends Jof theshiftable rod 35 is an upright arm 38 which projects through and, in shifting movementsv of said rod, travels in a longif tudinally extending slot 39 provided there- V:for in the'plate 28. Rotatable upon the projecting end of said arm 38 is a roller40 which lies between the pawl-carrying .members of y the rockerL 27' and which,'in travel of said arm 38, rides `upon the. adjacent edge of one lor the otherof said rocker members,`accord. ing to the direction ofV such travel, thereby to effect rocking movement of said rocker in the direction of the travel, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 wherein said rocker is:

indicated as being rotated. to theright.l In such rocking'movement of the rocker, the pawl26 `carried by that end of the rocker towardwhich the roller 40 travels is thrust into engagement with an adjacent tooth of the j,ratchet wheel 25 andV actuates rotation of the .l latter.throughout av` fractional part of a revolution for eifectinga corresponding `rotary movementlof the lampfcarrying arm 13.

.-As the rod 35'is shifted for' actuating ro- ;tary Vmovement of the lamp-carrying arm 13,

an upright bracket 41.y fixed on said rod and having a rearwardly directedr wristpin 42 iscarried `laterally therewith. livotallvl rods. vTo permitofintroduction ofsuch'in-.v struinentv inl adjusting relation tofs'aid headed 1 mounted onsaid wrist pin is thev upperend of a therefrom-depending lever which hasr its lower end received'between substantially parallel transversely extending arms 44, each of'which carries on one end thereof a subl stantially semi-circular brake band 45.

Saidfbrake bands 45 areicomplemental one to the other,.being disposed in embracing relation to the brake drum 10, each having mounted on its inner face a suitablebrake` lining 45 which, in the normal parallel posil tions of thearm 44, occupyclose frictional "zo i braking engagement with'said'drum lfor nor? `.mally maintaining the rotaryshaft) and,

consequently," the' lamp-carrying arm 18' in Y VY'stationary positions-- However, in case the lamp casing `should be forcibly engaged either on its frontor rear-'face by aI moving object, the braking means: described will usually' permit rotary movement against the brakingforce exerted, thus to prevent serious injury eitherto the lamp lcasing 0r .itsfactuating mechanism which` might otherw-isevre-V sult.` y

In shifting Y actuated to rock on its carrying pin42 for effecting relative spreading ofthe brake of the rod35the lever arms'44,y as shown'in dotted lines in lFig. 5,

whereby the brake Abands Y4,5 are Withdrawn from binding relation to the drum 10, thus effecting' release of the-latter.. Compression springsr 46 introduced'"between the outer faces of the arms44and .stationaryabutments, as the adjacenteiids of blocks 47,

" function tonormally'maintain said arms in their relativelyV indrawn positions: wherein the brake vlining 45a carried bythe brake bands occupy seated binding relation tothe brake drum. Thus,- in ,shifting-the lamp'- carrying arm 13' in the manner hereinbefore described, when the shifting force exerted by..

anenergized magnet coil is cut` ofthe rod is instantlymactuated by. the Ythen comf pressed spring to Areturn to its normal position,zallowingthe springsf46 instantly tol actuate application of the brakefor stopping the rotation. Y

. The springs 46, as `also theA blocks 47, are carried by rods 48 which have their outer ends mounted in the outer lends of the coil-v carrying brackets 31 and'32j-and'their-inner endsloosely received in eyes provided there for in the brake arms 44;` The blocks` 47 hereinbefore referred to 1 are carried by threaded Vportions, 48aoff said rods 48 sorthat s springs 46 for regulating the Atension ofthe latter. Said blocks, vwhich are preferably of rectangular form ini cross section, as"

shown, are received in recesses 49'vprovided- Vthey may be adjusted with respect tov the n tation of'said rods '48,/ effected by means-of Y a screw-driver Vorfother suitablei'instrument 1 applied' to the headed outer endsof vsai/d ends. of lsaid .rods without Vremoval `oftheV casing 1, plug-closed ,openings 50 are provided-in said casing at appropriate points.

The lighting circuit to the lamp comprises` the battery 2O which is suitably grounded on its negative side and which has its ,positive terminal connected to the lamp through the,

iiitermediacy of the conductor wire 22, plate 21, contacts 6 and ,7, pin 8 and' wire 19.v A suitable switch 51 foropening and closing the lamp circuit may be introduced in the latterat any convenient point.

`The magnet coils 33 and 311, are located in separate energizing circuits Vwhich include .saidbattery and the conductor wire 22.

Branch conductors 52 and 53 connected, as at 541, to said conductor 22 lead to theouter ends of themagnet coils 33 and 34respectively, which, inturn, are suitably grounded,

as at 55, Figs. 4 and 8, upon the casing base 2. Switches of any appropriate type, as 56 and 57, are provided in said magnet energizing circuits. i

In practice, toeii'ect shifting of the lamp 'over any considerable distance, as throughout an arc of degrees, Vrequires that the lamp-supporting arm 13 be actuated successively a number of times, according to the distance traversed in each actuation. vFor instance, when the ratchet wheel 25 is actuated in each movement to rotate throughout one-sixteenth of a revolution, itis manifest that four successive movements are required to rotate the arm 13 throughout 90 degrees.

, ,These movements areproduced through theV closing and opening of the appropriate switch 56 or 57 the required number of times, each act of opening the switch permitting the movable parts of the ratchet mechanism to resume normal position prior to the next succeeding actuation induced through reclosing of the switch.

Vhatis claimed is- 1. In apparatus for imparting forward and `,reverse rotary movements to a shaft, gear mechanism associated with said shaft, alined solenoid magnet coils located at opposite sides of said gear mechanism, a longitudinally shiftable member operatively associated with said gear mechanism whereby shifting movements of the former actuate the latter to impart rotary movements to said shaft, said member having its opposite ends forming cores nfor said magnet coils, resilient means vnormally maintaining saidmember in equiwheel `,fixed on said shaft, afpivoted rocker, Vpawls carried by said rocker'and selectively i engageable with said wheel for rotating the Y latter in the'desired direction, alined solenoid magnet coils located at opposite sides of said shaft, a longitudinally shiftable member having its opposite ends `received by and forming cores for said coils, resilient means normallyvholding said member in equi-,spaced i relation to said coils, means intermediate said member and said rocker-whereby shifting of'` the former Yactuatesr movement of thel latter c for causing one of said pawls to actuate rotation of. said ratchet wheel, and'means forA selectively energizing said coils foi' effecting shifting of said member in the desired direction. Y L

3. In apparatus for imparting forwardand reverse rotary Vmovements of a shaft, a ratchet wheel fixed on said shaft, a-pivoted` rocker,-l

pawls .carried by said vrocker and selectively engageable with said wheel` for rotating thel latter in the desired direction, alined solenoid g' i magnet coils located at opposite sides of said shaft, a longitudinally shiftable member havingits opposite ends received by and forming vcores for-said coils, resilient meansnormally holding said member in equi-spaced relation to said coils, means intermediate saidmember` and said rocker whereby shifting of the former actuates movementdof the latter forr causing one of said-pawls to actuate rotation of said ratchet wheel, means forselectively energizing said coils for effectingshifting of said member in thedesired direction, brake mechanism normally holding sa-id'shaft stationary; and means actuated by shifting movement lof said member for effecting releaseo'f said brake mechanism;

4:'. The combination with a rotary supportingtarm and alamp carried thereby, of apparatus `for- Vshifting the position of said arm, said -apparatus comprising a shaft upon which said arm is rigidly carried, gearmech a.-l

r nism `associated with saidV shaft and. including alr'atchetwheel, magnets Vlocated at opposite iio l sides ofr said. gear mechanism, a member operatively vassociated with both of said magnets and shiftable relative thereto in either` direction-according asone or the other thereof is energized, mea-ns for selectively energizing said magnets, resilient means normally holdingV saidmemberl ,in `neutral position, and means actuatedby shifting movements of` said member from said position wh erebysaid gear ,mechanism is driven for rotating said shaft,"v the last mentioned means including pawls engageable with vthe `ratchetwheel of said mechanism. Y

5. The combination `with a rotary supporting arm anda lamp carriedithereby, of apparatus for shifting the position of said arm,

said :apparatus comprising. a shaft upon which said arm is rigidly carried, a ratchet wheel fXed-nfsaid shaft, a pivoted element,

pawls carried by said element and selectively shiftable by rocking movement ofthe latter into engagement with said wheelfor rotating said wheel in eitherdirection, electro-mag 'nets disposed in opposed relation, armember.

' ber in neutral position, and means intermedi'- upon said arm is rigidly carried, gear mechanism whereby said shaft may be rotated and including a ratchet wheel, electromagnets` i means for selectivelyenergizing said mag-V.,

nets, resilient means tending normally to holdfsaid member in neutral position, pawls intermediate said member and ysaid vgear -55'selecte'd `pawl in to'driving relation to said oated by shifting movementl of said member mechanism whereby shifting movement lof Athe formerractuate's the'latter to rotate said shaft, and a lighting circuit vto said lamp, said circuit including a pin extending through the interiorof and insulated from said shaft. l

In testimony whereof, I aflix mysi nature.,Y

l RAY L. D VIS.V`

ate said member vandsaid pivoted element whereby shifting movement of the vv'former actuates rocking movement of the latter. Y 6. The combination with a rotary supporting arm and a Ylamp carried thereby, of 'ap paratus for 'shifting the position of said arm, said apparatus comprising a shaftyupon which said arm is rigidly carried, a ratchet 2m wheel fixed on said shaft, a pivoted element, pawls carried by said element and selectively shiftable by rocking movement of the'latter into engagement with said wheel for rotating said wheel 'in either direction, solenoid mag- 253 nets disposed in alined relation at opposite sides of said pivoted element, a` member interposed betweenv and shiftable in either directionfrelative to said magnets according as one or the other thereof is energized, 'means for selectively energizing said mag-` nets, resilient means normally holding Vsaid member in neutral position, and means actu'-4 ated vby shifting of `said member whereby said pivoted element is rocked for carrying a ratchet wheel. Y Y

i 7. The combination with a rotary supporting arm and a lamp carried thereby, of apparatusV for shifting the position :of said 40?- arm, said apparatus comprising a shaft upon which said arml is rigidly carried, a ratchet' Wheel fixed on'said shaft, a pivoted element, paWls carried by said element and selectively shiftable by rocking mo-vement of the latter `into engagement with said Wheelv for krotating said wheel in either direction, solenoid magnets disposed in alined relation at oppo- Y site sides of saidpivoted element, a member interposed between and shiftable in either direction relative to said magnets according y as one or the other thereofV isV energized,l means for selectively energizing said magnets, vresilient means normallyholding said member in neutral position, means actuated by shifting of said member whereby said pivoted element is rocked for carrying a selected pawl into driving relation. tosaid ratchet wheel, brake mechanism normally maintaining said shaft stationary, and means.' actufor releasing said brake mechanism.'

, 8. The combination with a rotary support-` ing arm and a lampcarried thereby, of apparatusI for shifting the position ofsaid arm,

oisaid apparatusomprising a tubular shaft so"V 

